South Africa made it two wins from as many games in the Super Eights with a 20-run victory over West Indies, while Umar Gul entered the record books as Pakistan thrashed New Zealand.
A half century from Herschelle Gibbs underpinned South Africa’s 183/7 and despite a superb knock from Lendl Simmons, West Indies came up short in their chase.
The Proteas now look on course for a place in the semi-finals, while West Indies will have to regroup ahead of their clash with England.
South Africa got off to a fantastic start as Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis launched into some disappointing pace bowling.
Smith made to 31 off 18 balls and looked set for a big score only to miscue a cut off the spin of Sulieman Benn and picked out Andre Fletcher at backward point.
Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs put on 50 for the second wicket before Simmons removed the Proteas opener.
Gibbs was the undoubted star turn with the bat, crashing 55 off 35 balls, but his departure to the medium pace of Kieron Pollard enabled West Indies to check the momentum.
A score in excess of 200 looked on the cards at one stage, but Jerome Taylor returned to claim the wickets of AB de Villiers, Albie Morkel and Roelof van der Merwe as the Proteas were restricted to 183/7.
West Indies’ chase got off to a poor star as Fletcher, all at sea against the pace of Dale Steyn and Wayne Parnell, lost his off stump to the latter for a duck.
Chris Gayle looked somewhat subdued and the it was no surprise when the West Indies skipper departed for just five.
Simmons and Dwayne Bravo set about rebuilding the innings and they put on 57 for the third wicket before Bravo was caught on the fence at long off by Steyn off the bowling of Roelof van der Merwe.
Simmons kept West Indies in the hunt with some superb clean hitting, but he fell to a catch on the fence by De Villiers for 77.
Ramnaresh Sarwan holed out off following ball and his dismissal ended West Indies’ hopes of chasing down their target and it was left to Parnell, a real find at the age of 19, to return at the death to claim four wickets.
And in the other game of the day, Gul became the first man in Twenty20 history to take five wickets as Pakistan completed a six-wicket victory over New Zealand.
Gul returned with superb figures of 5-6 as the Kiwis were skittled out for 99 at The Oval, the lowest total in this year’s tournament.
Pakistan comfortably completed the run chase, hitting 100-4 in 13.1 overs with Shazaib Hasan making 35 off 28 balls on his international debut.
Pakistan are now level on points with New Zealand and Sri Lanka at the head of Group F and could seal a place in the semi-finals if they beat Ireland on Monday.